This shirt is old and faded
by thegirl20
Summary: A series of ficlets about Ruby's red flannel shirt. (co-planned/written with 100poundsofcatfish)
1. What a way to make a living

By the time she makes it to the diner for her morning coffee, she's already had an argument with a petulant nine-year-old who objected to his sandwich filling for the day, had to go back home after dropping Henry off to pick up some papers she forgot, and has two prominent paw prints on her coat from where Pongo greeted her enthusiastically in the street.

Regina Mills has had better mornings.

Heading to the counter, she waits impatiently to catch Ruby's eye. The young waitress has her chin cradled in her hand as Marco relates some story or other about his childhood in Italy. Regina, once again, marvels at the detail of the curse. Regina clears her throat and Ruby springs to attention.

"Madam Mayor!" She casts an apologetic look at Marco, who nods in understanding. "I'm so sorry, I didn't notice you come in."

"It's quite alright, Ms Lucas," Regina says, her tone clipped. "Just my usual, thank you."

"You're pretty much always at work by now," Ruby comments as she goes about preparing Regina's coffee. "I thought you weren't coming in this morning."

"Well, as you have correctly identified, I'm running a little late," Regina says, finding herself surprised that Ruby is so acquainted with her morning routine. Then again, she _has _served her coffee faithfully for the past twenty-five years or so. "I had...a few altercations this morning which slowed me down."

Ruby's face betrays genuine sympathy. "Oh, it sucks when your day starts off that way. Anything I can do to help?"

Strangely touched by the offer, Regina smiles and shakes her head. "Unless you feel like reading the eighty page document in my briefcase which is a risk assessment relating to the watering of the plants in the town square?"

"Seriously? That's a real thing you have to read?" Ruby asks, her eyes wide with horror.

"Yes, unfortunately," Regina admits, with a sigh. "Thank you for the offer, Ms Lucas." The waitress is almost done preparing her coffee and she delves into her purse to get her wallet. Somehow, on the way out, it opens and coins spill all over the floor. "Of course," she mutters as she stoops to pick up the change. When she stands back up, Ruby is holding up a penny between her thumb and forefinger.

"You missed one," she says, placing it in Regina's palm. "I hope that it brings you luck."

A strange sensation runs through Regina as Ruby's skin comes into contact with her own. She puts it down to the fact that she rarely experiences physical contact with anyone other than Henry; and even that is becoming a rarity these days.

"I certainly seem to need it today." Regina awkwardly slides the change back into her wallet, fumbling to get some bills out.

"Your coffee's on me," Ruby tells her, placing her cup on the counter.

"Nonsense," Regina says with a frown. "There's no nee-"

"You're having a bad day, maybe this'll turn it around," Ruby says with a shrug and a smile. She points at the door. "Now, go get to work. Pretty sure you're dying to read that thing about the plants."

"Thank you, Ruby," Regina says. "That's very kind of you."

As she turns, one of the diner's patrons stands up, pushing his chair back and into her path. She narrowly manages to avoid falling, but her coffee exits the cup spectacularly, going straight up into the air. Old habits die hard and on reflex, she throws a hand up to catch it with magic. But, of course, in this world, gravity prevails and the hot liquid lands on her pristine white shirt and on Granny's spotlessly clean floor.

She hisses in pain and attempts to pull the drenched fabric away from her skin before it can do any damage. The hapless peasant who caused the collision - it's one of the dwarves, she's never been sure which is which - is stuttering and trying to dab at her blouse with a paper napkin. She glares at him and he backs off with his hands raised in surrender.

"Walter!" Ruby admonishes, approaching the pair and throwing some towels on the spillage on the floor. "You have to look where you're going. It's like you sleepwalk through your life!" _Walter _sputters an apology and makes some excuse about needing to get to work, beating a hasty retreat. Ruby switches her attention to Regina.

"You better gimme that shirt or it'll stain," she says, eyeing the rapidly advancing brown blotch on Regina's chest. "I'll get it in some water right away."

Glancing around the diner, Regina notes that several people are gawking at them. "Are you suggesting I disrobe _here_?" she asks, still holding the material away from her skin. "And I suppose I should go to work in my underwear. Do you think that is appropriate attire for a Mayor, Ms Lucas?"

Instead of cowering and begging forgiveness, Ruby simply smirks. "No, but it'd be a pretty sight," she says. "And who knows, maybe it'd get you a few more votes come the next election?"

The blush that colours Regina's cheeks is unfamiliar, but not unwelcome. It's so rare that anyone in this town causes any kind of reaction in her, she finds herself almost enjoying the heat in her face. Before she can come up with a suitable response, Ruby is heading for the restrooms. Regina's brow creases in confusion. The younger woman looks over her shoulder and rolls her eyes when she notices Regina's not following.

"Come with me," Ruby says. "We'll get you fixed up."

While the most sensible thing to do would probably be to go home and change, she finds herself obeying. She enters the ladies' room and finds Ruby undoing the buttons on the shirt she's wearing.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Regina asks, horrified to find herself more than a little intrigued by Ruby's actions.

"You can borrow this until you can get home and change into something more...you," Ruby explains.

"But what will _you_ wear?" Regina asks, eyes fixed on Ruby's hand as it moves to the last button.

"I thought I might try your suggestion and just serve in my bra," she says. Regina's eyes snap back up to meet Ruby's just as she shrugs out of the shirt; to reveal a white wife-beater underneath. The younger woman laughs as she holds the shirt out for Regina to take. "I'll leave you to change in private. Drop the dirty one off with me before you go and I'll make sure it's washed ready for you to pick it up tomorrow."

Regina takes the garment; it's warm from touching Ruby's skin. "Thank you," Regina manages. "This is very kind."

"Don't worry about it," Ruby says with a shrug and a grin as she heads back out into the diner. "It's not a problem."

The door swings shut and Regina looks down at the shirt she's holding. The flannel is soft and there are signs of wear and tear in places; it's clearly been worn often. She smiles at the colour; Ruby does seem to have retained her affection for red. Moving into one of the stalls, she quickly strips off her own shirt. Goosebumps rise when the cool air touches her wet skin and she shivers, hurriedly shrugging into Ruby's shirt. Right away she feels comforted by the soft fabric and the faint scent that clings to the item. She lifts the collar to her nose and inhales, closing her eyes. While she was never aware of knowing what Ruby smelled like, the familiarity of the scent tells her that she subconsciously knew.

Realising that she's taking too long, she does up the buttons and flattens out the shirt over her stomach, tucking it into her skirt. She exits the stall and looks at herself in the mirror. She looks ridiculous; like a corporate lumberjack. But there's something so intimate, so visceral, about wearing someone else's clothing that she can't help but smile at her reflection. She might previously have revelled in the experience of having Snow White's friend show her such kindness without a second thought. But there's something about Ruby's open nature, her sense of wonder and her genuine desire to help that gives her pause. The curse created Ruby, but Red Riding Hood is still underneath; the girl who took Snow in, gave her shelter and took up her cause against Regina. There's something to be admired there.

Regina clears her throat and nods at the mirror, schooling her face back into the mask of mild disdain she's become so accustomed to wearing. She head back through to the diner, grasping her soiled shirt in her hand. Ruby catches her eye and holds out her hand in a silent request. Regina hesitates.

"This is a very expensive item of clothing," she says. "I don't want it thrown in with the sheets from the Bed and Breakfast."

Ruby rolls her eyes. "I'm literally gonna wash it by hand right now," she says, wiggling her fingers to encourage Regina to hand it over, which she does. "It'll be pristine for you tomorrow." Ruby holds three fingers to her head in some kind of mock salute. "Girl Scout's honour!"

Regina can't help her eyebrow creeping up. "_You_ were a Girl Scout?" she asks. Once again she's amazed at how thorough the curse was in constructing lives and memories for the inhabitants of Storybrooke.

"Well...for a little while," Ruby admits. "I got kicked out for-" She makes quotation marks with her fingers. "'unruly behaviour'."

"What constitutes unruly behaviour for an eight year old?" Regina asks, genuinely curious.

Ruby smiles. "I got caught fraternising with the _Boy _Scouts during a campout," she admits. "They made it sound _so_ scandalous. When really it was just my buddy Peter visiting my tent to invite me to go into the woods with him." She shakes her head with a smile. "Granny grounded me for a month and told me to stay away from boys."

"And did you take her advice?" Regina asks, finding herself charmed by the story.

"Totally." A wicked grin spreads over Ruby's full lips. "As she found out when she walked in on me and Mary Margaret 'practising kissing' when we were fourteen."

Regina's mouth drops open and she's grateful she's not holding a hot beverage. "Oh…" She tries to cover her surprise with a smile. "Oh...that's…well..."

Ruby bites her lip. "I've shocked you. Sorry."

"No, not at all," Regina says, attempting to smooth over her reaction. "Storybrooke is an inclusive and welcoming community." She tries not to wince at how trite that sounds as the words pass her lips.

"Yeah...thanks for the affirmation," Ruby says, her head tilted to the side in a question. "Say...aren't you gonna be _really _late for work?"

Grateful for the distraction, Regina looks at her watch. "Yes," she agrees. "I must be going. I...have that thing to read." She's already heading for the door, talking over her shoulder. "Thank you for-"

"Wait!"

Regina stops and turns, curious as to what prompted the barked instruction. Ruby comes out from behind the counter, a to-go cup in her hand. She offers it to Regina. "I made it while you were changing." She avoids Regina's eyes. "Since your other one got spilled."

An unexpected smile springs from nowhere, crinkling the corners of Regina's eyes as she takes the cup. "Thank you, Ruby," she says, and means it. "For this and for the shirt. You didn't have to do either."

"No big deal," Ruby says again, shoving her hands into her back pockets. "You can bring the shirt back whenev-"

"Ruby! Customers!" Granny's oppressive voice interrupts and Ruby seems almost relieved. She nods behind her.

"I gotta go."

"Yes, as do I," Regina agrees. "I'll be in tomorrow with your shirt."

"Cool," Ruby says with a smile as Regina pushes the door open. "I hope your day gets better."

"I'd say it already has," Regina murmurs, after Ruby has gone back to the counter and started what looks like a spirited bickering match with her grandmother.

After enduring a hellish day at work and dinner with a gruff and monosyllabic child, Regina finally retreats to the sanctuary of her bedroom. Her eyes land upon Ruby's shirt lying on the bed where she'd discarded it earlier. She picks it up and runs the material through her fingers. The trials of her day slip away as she remembers Ruby's gesture. A smile touches her lips and she brings the garment to her face, closing her eyes as Ruby's scent washes over her once more.

The following morning, Regina makes it to the diner at her usual time. Ruby spots her as soon as she enters and delves behind the counter, emerging with a small package, wrapped in brown paper. She presents it to Regina with a flourish as she approaches.

"Your laundry, ma'am," she announces with a wink.

Regina takes the offering with a nod. "Thank you. I have another load I'll drop off tomorrow."

"Wow, she runs the town _and _she makes jokes," Ruby says. "Impressive."

"I try," Regina says, enjoying this easy back and forth that seems to have developed between them. "Oh, speaking of laundry, your shirt is in my washer as we speak, so I don't have it to give to you."

"Don't worry about it," Ruby says with a dismissive wave of her hand. "You can drop it off whenever."

Regina inhales deeply through her nose, steeling herself for what she's about to say. "Or...you could come and collect it," she tries to make the invitation as casual as possible. "And you could stay for dinner. This evening, perhaps?"

Ruby's smile slowly fades, and Regina's heart sinks with it. It could be that she's coming on too strongly; it wouldn't be the first time. Maybe she misread Ruby's friendly behaviour as something more than just general politeness.

"Like a date?" Ruby asks, her brow furrowed.

"No!" Regina is too quick to protest. "As a...a thank-you."

"Oh." Ruby looks thoughtful for a moment, but then she nods and relief floods through Regina. "Sure. That sounds great." Her lips lift into a smile once more.

"Excellent," Regina says, keen to bring the now awkward conversation to a conclusion. "I'll see you then. Shall we say eight o'clock?"

"Suits me," Ruby says.

"Eight it is, then," Regina confirms. "Well, I'll bid you good morning."

Regina starts to turn, inwardly cringing at her sudden formality, but Ruby's hand on her wrist stops her. She meets green eyes, shining with amusement. "I'd have said yes to the date," Ruby says, her voice low. "Just, you know, so you know."

"That's...umm," Regina coughs and swallows through a dry throat. "...definitely useful information."

Ruby winks at her before letting go of her arm, letting her fingers trail over the skin of Regina's hand. Regina grits her teeth and wills herself not to react. She watches the waitress move away to take an impatient Leroy's order. She smiles. Depending on how the evening goes, she might just make sure that Ruby forgets to take the shirt home with her.


	2. Put a smile on your face ten miles wide

It's been a long day. A long week, really. It's finally Friday and all Regina wants to do is curl up on her couch and drink a gallon of wine. Not so long ago, she'd have done exactly that, but the last few months have opened up other, far more interesting, possibilities on a Friday night. Her lips are already turning upwards as she picks up the phone and dials the number she's come to know by heart.

One ring. Two. Three. "Granny's Diner, how can I help you?" Regina's about to respond when she hears Granny yell something in the background. Ruby sighs heavily in her ear, her voice becoming muffled slightly and Regina surmises that she's covering the mouthpiece with her hand. "I'm not saying that, Granny, it makes no sense!" Normal volume is resumed when she speaks again. "So sorry about that, how can I help?"

"What makes no sense?" Regina asks, intrigued by the statement.

"Oh, Granny's trying out some new slogans to see if they'll get more people to eat here," Ruby explains. "But they're long and clunky and stupid. Don't look at me like that, Granny, they are! And there's no point because everyone in town already knows we're here and what we serve!"

Regina hears Granny scolding Ruby for having this argument while someone's on the phone. Ruby sighs again and speaks into the phone. Regina can practically hear the fake smile she's wearing. "Granny's Diner, where every meal is like your Grandma used to make, how can I be of service?"

Regina laughs. "Yes, it could definitely do with some work," she agrees. "But you can most certainly be of service to me. Tonight?"

"Sure, we can get you a table for tonight," Ruby says, easily. "What time were you thinking?"

"What time do you finish?" Regina asks.

"Hmmm, that's pretty late, perhaps a delivery would suit your needs better?" Ruby suggests.

"You're on closing? Again?" Regina complains. "Can't you get someone else to do it?"

"I'll definitely see what I can do," Ruby says, her voice apologetic. "We always try our best to make sure all of our customers are _satisfied_ with our service."

"Doesn't it bother you that you're using the phone in your grandmother's diner to have a conversation like this?" Regina asks, amused by Ruby's attempts to sound like she's taking a booking.

"Of course not, it's no trouble at all, ma'am," Ruby says, and Regina detects just a hint of the sultry, teasing voice she's come to know recently.

"So what if I tell you that if you _do_ manage to get off early, I have very detailed plans which include you getting off repeatedly once you get here?"

Ruby lets out a little choked noise and it makes Regina bites her lip to stop from laughing. "That's...that's on this evening's menu, yes. And, uh...how would you like that prepared?"

"Come in your uniform," Regina tells her. "And I'll make sure you do just that."

Ruby whimpers and Regina presses her lips together to keep from making a similar sound.

"I'll make a note of that preference," the waitress says, her voice lower than it was before. "And, might I recommend our special dessert for afterwards?"

"I'm always open to your suggestions," Regina says, surprised at how throaty her own voice sounds..

"I'm sure you'll love it. It's soft, and warm, and moist…" Regina closes her eyes, pressing her thighs together and shuddering at the sensation. "...and the _taste_….well, I can't even begin to describe it."

Regina's breath is coming in shallow pants and she allows herself a little laugh. "How is it that I set out to get you to blush a little and you end up reducing me to a puddle instead? And you're the one in a public place?"

"We do aim to please, ma'am," Ruby says, and there's a pride in her voice that Regina knows will be matched by a smug grin.

"I hope this has been incentive enough for you to get someone else to close tonight," Regina says, trying to gain the upper-hand back. "I hate to be kept waiting."

"We always deliver on time," Ruby says, emphasising the word 'deliver'. "Satisfaction guaranteed. Or your money back."

Her mouth is open to reply when Granny's voice comes through again, loud and clear.

"Ruby, if you think I'm too old to realise what you're doing right now, you're sorely mistaken. Your generation didn't invent it, you know!"

"Oh my _God_, Granny!" Ruby screeches. "I gotta go, I'll see you later." She's still whining about her privacy being invaded when she hangs up the phone and Regina finds herself blushing, but smiling. How the hell did she end up having coded phone sex with the waitress at the diner? She shrugs. When something is as enjoyable as her time spent with Ruby is, there's little point in questioning it too deeply.

* * *

><p>With Henry safely tucked away in bed, Regina keeps herself busy by tidying the kitchen and living room. Not that they particularly needed it, but it's something to do until Ruby arrives. She glances at the clock; it's ten minutes after she last looked. Sighing, she decides to read a little of the book she's working through. One thing she likes about this world is the range of literature available. Before Henry, she had a lot of spare time to use up. She doesn't get to read so much these days, but she does try to keep her hand in.<p>

Her book is in her bedroom, and when she gets up there, she thinks she might as well change out of her clothes into something more comfortable. Ruby has a habit of getting impatient with some of her more complicated fastenings, and it's not like she can wave a hand and mend torn stitching in this realm. She's already taken too many garments to the tailor for repair; people in this town don't take much before they start gossiping.

She's sifting through her closet when her fingers skim by a fabric that stands out from all the rest. It's soft and inviting. Pushing aside her array of suits, she unveils the shirt Ruby had given her that morning in the diner. The morning that started her down this path. Smiling, she pulls it from the hanger, rubbing her fingers against the material.

She shimmies out of her dress pants and sheds her silk blouse, leaving herself clad in only black underwear. After a moment's thought, she gets rid of the bra and slides the shirt onto her bare torso. It's delightful against her skin, and still, somehow, smells like Ruby. She fastens a few buttons, but leaves the neckline daringly low with a tantalising amount of cleavage on show. She checks her reflection in the mirror and is satisfied with what she sees. She fluffs her hair out a little before retreating to the bed. She picks up her novel and her reading glasses. She doesn't often wear them, but a long day of looking at print can tire her eyes out. Settling back against the pillows, she wonders if she can make it through a chapter before Ruby arrives.

* * *

><p>A soft giggle rouses her from the light sleep she appears to have fallen into. She opens her eyes too quickly and blinks against the unexpected brightness. A shadow falls across her face. Ruby Lucas is standing by the bed, dressed in her waitress uniform, grinning like an idiot.<p>

"I...what time is it?" Regina mumbles, squinting at her alarm clock. It's then she realises her glasses are at a strange angle on her face, her book resting open on her chest. She closes her eyes and drops her head back down onto the pillow with a groan. So much for being alluring.

"Just after eleven," Ruby tells her, sitting on the bed and gently removing Regina's glasses. Regina opens her eyes to find the younger woman smiling down at her. "You're really cute, you know that?"

Flushing, Regina struggles into a sitting position. "Well, that's not quite what I was going for, dear, but thank you."

"Oh, I didn't say you weren't sexy as hell too," Ruby says, a finger tracing the collar of the shirt Regina had forgotten she was wearing, following the neckline down, nail skimming lightly over the skin of Regina's breast. Regina inhales sharply and Ruby looks up at her with a devious smile. "I wondered where this shirt was."

"We got a little distracted the evening you came over to pick it up, didn't we?" Regina reminds her with a smirk. "You must've left it here."

"Do you wear it a lot?" Ruby asks, now playing with the buttons on the shirt, just below Regina's breasts.

"This is the first time, actually," Regina admits, watching as Ruby's long, elegant fingers pop the first button.

"Well, damn," Ruby says with a lopsided smile. "And here I was picturing you wearing it and…" She lifts her eyebrows. "..._thinking_ of me." Her hand slides inside the shirt and splays over Regina's bare abdomen. Regina can't help the shiver that goes through her. She's equally powerless to stop the enormous yawn that her mouth stretches into. A hand flies to cover it and she blushes.

"Oh, Ruby, I'm sorry, I-" Ruby cuts her off with a kiss and pulls back, smiling.

"Regina, you run the whole town, and you're a single mom." The young woman stands up and kicks off her shoes before moving to unbutton her own blouse. "I'd be pretty worried if you weren't tired sometimes." The red skirt ends up on the floor and Ruby saunters over to Regina's dresser wearing only her underwear. It's a sign that the girl has been there too often that she knows where Regina's night attire is kept. She pulls open the drawer and rifles through the contents until she finds what she's looking for.

It's with some disappointment that Regina watches Ruby's skin disappear under a red, silk nightdress. It hangs slightly loose on Ruby's taller, slimmer frame, coming to rest just below her ass. Ruby turns and gives Regina a wink.

"You're wearing my clothes, thought I'd give yours a try," she explains as she comes back to the bed. She swats Regina's hip. "Move over."

Regina does as she's told, more out of surprise than anything else. Ruby pulls the covers down and waits for Regina to get under them before climbing into bed and pressing her front to Regina's back. The silk is cool and smooth against the tops of her thighs, contrasting with Ruby's warm, soft shirt.

"This is new," she mumbles, shifting slightly to get comfortable in the unusual position.

"Mmhmm," Ruby agrees, pressing her lips to the back of Regina's neck. "You need sleep. I'm pretty beat myself. Might as well nap together."

The pull of sleep is strong, but Regina feels she should protest at least a little. "I was looking forward to that dessert you promised me."

"Sleep," Ruby says, her voice indicating that she's well on the way there herself. "I'll make sure you have something sweet to wake up to."

It's frighteningly domestic, to be wearing someone's shirt while lying cradled in their arms, about to go to sleep. It should set off alarm bells. She's never invited anyone to her bed before just to cuddle. But when Ruby starts to snore gently, letting out little puffs of warm breath onto her neck, Regina decides that she doesn't care.


End file.
